What age is Father Stu appropriate for?

Father Stu is rated R and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 15+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film contains approximately 100 uses of strong profanity including the f-word and other vulgar language throughout, making it inappropriate for younger viewers despite its faith-based message.

Does Father Stu have swearing or bad language?

Father Stu has Extreme language. The f-word is used approximately 100 times throughout the film

Is Father Stu violent?

Father Stu has Mild violence. Stu crashes his motorcycle into a car, is thrown off and run over by another car in a graphic accident scene

Is Father Stu scary for children?

Father Stu has Mild scary scenes. The motorcycle accident scene shows Stu severely injured and near death with a vision sequence

What is the parents guide for Father Stu?

Father Stu (2022) is rated R. PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 15+. Violence: Mild. Language: Extreme. Scary scenes: Mild. Romance: Mild. Substances: Moderate. Watch recommendation: Watch together — The heavy profanity and adult themes of addiction, family dysfunction, and serious illness require parental guidance and discussion.

Is Father Stu OK for Kids?

Name: Father Stu
Director: Rosalind Ross
Genre: Drama
Released: 2022
Duration: 124 min
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, Jacki Weaver, Teresa Ruiz, Malcolm McDowell

Drama

15+

R⭐ IMDb 6.5 / 102022 · 2h 4m

Rosalind Ross● Script verifiedBased on a partial script

Where to Watch

United States

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

⏳

We're re-reading this screenplay with our upgraded analysis. Scene-by-scene moment counts aren't available for Father Stu yet — the summaries below are from our earlier read-through. Check back soon.

🗡️Violence

Mild▼

Stu crashes his motorcycle into a car, is thrown off and run over by another car in a graphic accident scene
Stu gets into bar fights due to his short fuse and drinking problems
A scene shows Stu roughing up an agent who hits on him sexually

💬Language

Extreme▼

The f-word is used approximately 100 times throughout the film
The s-word, d**n, and other profanity are used frequently in casual conversation
Contains unusually strong language for a faith-based film including vulgar expressions

👻Scary Scenes

Mild▼

The motorcycle accident scene shows Stu severely injured and near death with a vision sequence
Stu's physical deterioration from muscular disease is shown as he loses use of his body
Some medical scenes and depictions of physical decline could be unsettling

💕Romance

Mild▼

Carmen and Stu have an intimate physical moment that appears to lead to sex but is used to show restraint
Stu and Carmen begin dating after his baptism and meet each other's families
No nudity shown, romantic content is limited and handled tastefully

🍺Substances

Moderate▼

Stu drives drunk on his motorcycle after drinking at a bar, leading to the crash
Stuart's alcoholic father drinks to cope with trauma and grief over losing his youngest son
The father attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as part of his recovery

⚡Stimulation

Mild▼

Standard editing pace without overwhelming action sequences
The motorcycle crash is the most intense and sudden moment in the film
Generally calm pacing focused on character development rather than action

Parents also checked

15+✓

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Father Stu — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being a faith-based film with an inspiring message, it contains about 100 uses of strong profanity including the f-word, making the language much harsher than typical religious films.

About Father Stu

Father Stu tells the true story of Stuart Long, a foul-mouthed amateur boxer from Helena, Montana, who moves to California to pursue acting and ends up working in a grocery store. After a near-fatal motorcycle accident and vision of the Virgin Mary, he transforms his life and pursues becoming a Catholic priest, eventually serving others despite developing a debilitating muscular disease.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

The heavy profanity and adult themes of addiction, family dysfunction, and serious illness require parental guidance and discussion.

Family Takeaways from Father Stu

What it gets right

✓Shows that suffering can be meaningful - Stu decides his illness draws him closer to Christ's suffering
✓Demonstrates the power of family reconciliation as Stu's father changes and becomes supportive
✓Shows how Stu connects with prison inmates using his authentic, unpolished approach to help them not give up

Father Stu Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Faith & Religion

●Christian themes

The entire film centers on Stuart Long's conversion to Catholicism and his journey to priesthood despite terminal illness. Faith, redemption, and God's calling are the core narrative driving forces throughout.

Values & Themes

●Traditional family values

Stu's relationship with his estranged father and his mother's unwavering support form the emotional backbone of the story. The film emphasizes reconciliation, forgiveness, and family bonds as essential to Stu's spiritual transformation.

Community Notes

Some Catholic reviewers have questioned whether the extensive profanity is necessary to show the character's sinfulness credibly
The R-rating may limit the film's reach among faith-based audiences who typically avoid R-rated content

Cast:Mark WahlbergMel GibsonJacki WeaverTeresa RuizMalcolm McDowell